Submersible toy



J A. FORS SUBMERSIBLE TOY Sept. 8, 1964 .w m MA 5 mm m Filed March 13,1961 My w United States Patent 3,147,567 SUBMERSIBLE TOY James A. Furs,4958 W. Parker Ave., Chicago 39, Ill. Filed Mar. 13, 1961, Ser. No.95,124

20 Claims. (Cl. 46242) under manual control through a cord or string maybe manipulated up and down and about in a body of water.

A further object is to provide a submersible toy manually controlled bya cord or string which is separable from said toy.

Still another object is to provide such a toy in which separation of thecontrol cord is readily effected manually without touching thesubmersible toy. A still further object is to provide a toy which undermanual control through a cord or string may be manipulated up and downand about in a body of water and in which the cord or string is readilyseparable from the remainder of the toy without touching the latter.

A further object is to provide such a toy having a portion simulating atorpedo releasable by said cord or string.

Other objects will appear hereinafter.

In order that the invention may be better understood, reference is madeto the accompanying drawings which form a part of this specification andin which- FIGURE 1 is a view in elevation of a toy embodying features ofthis invention;

FIGURE 2 is a view of the same toy submerged;

FIGURE 3 is another view of the same toy being directed downwardly;

FIGURE 4 is still another similar View showing the same toy beingdirected upwardly;

FIGURE 5 is a view in elevation of a cord and weight embodying featuresof the present invention;

FIGURE 6 is a view in elevation of another submersible toy embodyingfeatures of the present invention;

FIGURE 7 is a view in elevation of a simulated depth charge and floatingsupport used in accordance with the present invention;

FIGURE 8 is an enlarged view in elevation of another modification of thesubmersible toy forming the subject matter of this invention;

FIGURE 9 is a plan view of the toy shown in FIG- URE 6; and

FIGURES l0, 11, 12, and 13 are fragmentary views in perspective ofvarious modifications of the toy shown in FIGURE 1.

Referring first to FIGURES 1 to 4, it is pointed out that these figuresshow a toy element 10 generally simulating a submarine although it couldjust as well simulate a fish or any other submersible body. Whatever itsimulates, however, the element 10 should have a specific gravity lessthan that of water so that by itself it has substantial buoyancy, andwill float in water.

Another important characteristic of the toy element 10 is that it is soconstructed that its center of buoyancy 12 indicated by the arrow andletter B is located forwardly of the center of gravity 14 indicated bythe arrow and the letter W in FIGURES 1 to 4, inclusive. As a result,the toy element 10 floats alone with its forward end 15 higher than itsrear end 16 as shown in FIGURE 1.

The toy element 10 may be formed of any desired material. As might beexpected, a particularly suitable material of whichto form the body ofelement 10 is wood. Whatever may be the way in which the element 10 isgiven its buoyancy, it is particularly convenient to dis place thecenter of gravity 14 toward the rear 16 by including in the element 10'a portion 18 designated extra weight, which is located toward the rear16 and has a density substantially greater than that of the remainder ofthe element 10. By locating the portion 18 on what is intended to be alower part of the element 10, the element is caused to remain in thedesired position in the water with the portion designed to be uppermostin that position. A body of relatively dense metal serves very well asthe body 18. Fins such as 20 may be provided if desired but should notnormally be depended upon to maintain the element 10 in the desiredposition in the water or to guide its movements within the waterdesignated 22.

Forwardly of the center of buoyancy 12 and on what is intended to be theupper surface of the element 10, a cup-shaped portion 24 is preferablyprovided at a location predetermined as hereinafter explained, tomaintain the desired balance of element 10 in the water 22. The position of portion 24 is such as to satisfy two conditions as will becomeclear and in this connection has a distinct relation to the locations ofthe center of buoyancy 12 and the center of gravity 14 as will beexplained.

The toy element 10 as heretofore indicated, by itself, floats in waterin the position shown in FIGURE 1. It will be noted that in this FIGURE1 there is shown suspended above the toy element 10 a weight 26supported on a string or cord 28 held by the hand 30 of the personmanipulating the toy 10. The weight 26 as will appear is designed to bereceived relatively snugly in the cupshaped portion 24. The weight 26 isso selected with reference to the element 10 that when manual support ofweight 26 by the hand 30 of the manipulator is no longer provided theelement 10 will dive as shown in FIGURE 3. The arrow 32 and letter F inFIGURES 1 to 4 indicate the position and direction of the force exertedby the weight 26 on the element 10. The weight of the portion 26 is ofsuch magnitude that the center of gravity of the combination of element10 and weight 26 when positioned as shown in FIGURES 2, 3, and 4 isforwardly of the center of buoyancy 12 of element 10. On the other hand,the value of weight 26 preferably does not greatly exceed the valuerequired to meet the foregoing requirements. It is, however, desirablethat weight 26 remain in the cup 24 except when lifted therefrom by asharp jerk or when it is removed therefrom by continued lifting aftertoy element 10 has reached theposition shown in FIGURE 1.

The value of weight 26 and the position of cup 24 in addition to beingsuch that vertical manual manipulation of cord 28 as described may causeelement 10 to be disposed in various positions as shown in FIGURES 1 to4 should also be such that element 10 may be readily guided through abody of water such as illustrated at 22. It has been found that whenelement 10 and weight 26 are so designed that the foregoing conditionsare satisfied and the cup 24 or its equivalent are located in theforward portion and preferably the forward one-third of element 10, thelatter may be very readily guided through forward movements, upward,downward, or horizontal througha cord or string 28 attached, as shown,to the weight 26. Manipulation of the hand 30 under the circumstancesdescribed will cause the element 10 to follow substantially exactly themovements of the hand 30 through a path varying as to the horizontalfrom a circle to any other desired form and the weight balance describedat the same time permits the path to be varied vertically by the samemeans. The design is still further improved by locating the position ofcup 24 in the forward one-fourth of element 10 and still better resultsare obtained if the location is just within the forward one-fifth.Attempts to place the location of cup 24 closer to the forward end ofelement 10, however, while acceptable from the guidance standpoint tendto produce unrealistic designs and structures in which the element whenfree of weight 26 as shown in FIGURE 1 tilts upwardly too far. For eachof the possible locations on element 10 at which weight 26 acts, thecenter of buoyancy 12 must be located to the rear of the position whereweight 26 acts and the center of gravity 14 must, in turn, be locatedrearwardly of the center of buoyancy 12.

Referring next to FIGURE 5, it will be seen that there is shown thereina device consisting of a weight 34 secured to a lower end of a cord 36which correspond, re-

spectively, to the weight 26 and cord 28 above described. Secured to theupper end of cord 36 is a ring 38 preferably of a size convenientlyreceived on a finger. The ring 38 when placed over the finger of amanipulator serves to insure that the weight 34 and cord 36 remain underthe control of the manipulator when the cord and weight are placed inthe water or the weight 34 is dropped into a body of water. Since theweight 34 is similar to the weight 26, it can serve the purposes of theweight 26 as above described in connection with manipulations of theelements such as element 10. The device designated generally 46,consisting of weight 34, cord 36 and ring 38, also has another use,however, in connection with which the ring 38 becomes particularlydesirable. Assuming that the element 10 simulates a submarine, thedevice 40 may be employed to simulate a depth charge employed to damagethe element 10. If, while the element 1.0 is being manipulated underwater as shown in FIGURES 2, 3, and 4, the weight 34 is dropped downthrough the water 22" so that it engages the top part of the element 10adjacent to the position where the weight 26 is acting upon element It),the effect of the weight 34 is to push the forward end of element 10downwardly in the water 22, in many cases causing the weight 26 tobecome separated from the cup 24 so that the hand'30 of the manipulatorloses control over the element 16 which is then considered to have beendamaged or sunk.

FIGURE 6 shows, in enlarged form, a simulation 42 of a submarine, whichcorresponds to the element 10 shown in FIGURES 1 to 4 for the purposesofthe present invention. It is preferably provided with a weight 44similar to weight 18 and has its centers of gravity and buoyancy locatedas above described. As shown in FIG- URE 6, a portion of the submarine42 is broken away adjacent the forward end to reveal a recess 46 whichis somewhat deeper than the cup 24, butas is clearly shown in FIGURE 9,the recess 46 like the cup 24 is located midway between the sides of thesubmarine 42. Communicating with the recess 46 within the body of thesubmarine 42 is a second recess 48 extending forwardly and upwardly fromthe botom of the recess 46 as shown. The submarine 42 is designed to bemanipulated in substantially the same way as is described above inconnection with the element 10, and to this end, the device 49 is shownpositioned in operating relation to the submarine 42 with the weight-34seated in the recess 46 which is preferably of such size that it justreceives the weight 34 comfortably.

Extending upwardly out of the recess or opening 48 is a device 50simulating a torpedo. The lower end ofthis torpedo 50 has a strip 52thereon either formed integrally with the torpedo 50 or suitably securedthereto. The strip 52, which is preferably thin, may be formed of anydesired material, butas shown in FIGURE 6 is long enough to extend fromthe lower end of the torpedo 50 down underneath the weight 34 so thatthe weight 34 rests on the lower end of'the strip 52. In addition tobeing thin, the strip 52 is also preferably relatively narrow laterallyof the submarine 42.-

In the use of the submarine 42 illustrated in FIGURE 6, the submarine ispositioned in a body of water such as the body of water 22 with thetorpedo 50 extending in the recess 48 as shown and with the Weight 34resting on the end of the strip 52 as is also shown. The submarine 42may then be manipulated in the water manually in the same way as theelement 10 described above. The torpedo 50 and the associated strip 52are so constructed that this combination has substantial buoyancy in abody of water such as 22, which may be accomplished in any desired waysuch as by forming the torpedo 50 of a material having a specificgravity less than that of water or by providing a closed air-chamberwithin the torpedo 50. In any event, with the various parts assembled asshown in FIGURE 6, when .the submarine 42 is manipulated in a body ofwater such as 22 in the normal manner described above, the weight 34resting on the strip 52 retains the torpedo 50 in the position shown inthe recess 48 despite the buoyancy of the torpedo 50. However, if themanipulator gives a slight upward jerk to the cord 36, the weight 34 ismomentarily lifted part way out of the recess 46 so that it no longerrests upon the strip 52 and the result is that the buoyancy of thetorpedo 50 then causes the latter to rise upwardly out of the recess 48and travel upwardly in an inclined path toward the surface of the water22. A little bit of practice will enable the person manipulating thesubmarine 42 to jerk the cord 36 just sufliciently to release thetorpedo 50 without jerking the weight 34 all the way out of the recess46, thus losing control over the submarine 42. Also, with a moderatelyminimum amount of practice it becomes possible for the manipulator to sorelease the torpedo 58 that in its path of travel upwardly it willstrike another object in the water at which it is aimed, as, forexample, another submarine like the submarine 42.

Turning now to FIGURE 7, it is pointed out that the device 54 as shownserves a purpose which is at least in part similar to that served by thedevice 40. The device 54 comprises a float portion 56 which may be ofany desired size or configuration, its chief characteristic being thatit has substantial buoyancy so that the float may, for example, simplybe a block of wood. The float 56 has a cord 60 securedthereto bysuitable fastening means such as the tack 62 illustrated. The other endof the cord 68 is secured to a weight 64 generally similar to theweights 34 and 26 previouslydescribed. The weight 64 like the weight 34is used to simulate a depth charge and which is normally supported on'the float 56 as shown. When it is desiredto employ the weight 64 as adepth charge, the float 56 is manually manipulated on the surface-of thewater to a position such that when the weight 64 is pushed off thefloat, it will drop on a submarine such as the submarine 42 or anothertypeof element 10 in such a Way as to cause the element to becomedisengaged from the weight and cord by which it is manipulated. Theweight 64 is then pushed off the float 56 so that it drops down intothewater as desired. Alternatively, the float 56 may serve merely as asupport for the weight. 64 WhlClL'Whfill usedas a'depth charge, islifted off the float 56 and aimed and dropped manually.

FIGURE 8 is a fragmentary view of the forward end of an element such asthe element 10, which simulates a submarine. This device designatedgenerally by the numeral 66 comprises a portion 68 which simulates thesubmarine and'has the same characteristics and features as the elementltlexcept as will be pointed out. In the drawing a portion of thesubmarine 68 adjacent the bow is broken away to reveal an iron plate 70embedded in the deck of the submarine 68 and secured thereto. Positionedin engagement with the plate 76 is a magnet 72 having a cord 74 securedthereto. The plate 76, which is located centrally between the sides ofthe submarine 68, preferably has a periphery conforming substantially tothe overall periphery of the end. of the magnet 72. By this is meantthat the plate is continuous across the open space between the two holesof the magnet 72 as well as across the pole faces. This arrangementfacilities location of the magnet in a desired predetermined positionwhich is indicated by the location of the plate 70.

In the device 66 the magnet 72 serves two purposes. In addition toserving as a means for connecting the cord 74 to the submarine 68, italso serves the functions of the weights 26 and 34 which are describedabove. Thus, the position of the plate 70 is determined in the same wayas the position of the cup 24 and of the recess 46 is determined asalready described, and a Weight is selected for the magnet 72 in thesame way as the value of the weights 26 and 34 is determined. Thus, whenthe magnet 72 is positioned on the plate 70 as shown, the submarine 68may be manipulated about a body of water in the same way as element ismanipulated as shown in FIGURES 2, 3, and 4. On the other hand, thedevice 66 has the advantage that the magnet 72 is more difficult todislodge from the submarine 68 than are the weights 26 and 34. The plate70 and magnet 72 are preferably chosen so that the force of attractionbetween them is of a low order with the result that the magnet 72 can bedisengaged from the plate 70 by an upward jerk on the cord 74. Thisfeature is advantageous where it is desired to manipulate an elementsuch as the submarine 68 so as to cause it to pass beneath some otherobject in or on the same body of water. To this end, the submarine 68 ismanipulated so as to give it the necessary momentum topass under theobject in question and then the cord 74 is jerked to disconnect themagnet 72 from the plate 70 and the latter are lifted over the object inquestion and then lowered again into engagement with the plate 70 afterthe submarine 68 has completed its passage under the object. It willalso be apparent that this same maneuver may be executed with theelement 10 or the submarine 42 in which the weights are merely seated inrecesses such as the cup 24 and the recess 46. 7

FIGURE 10 shows the forward end of another form 76 of the element 10,also simulating a submarine. The

submarine 76 also has the same characteristics and features as theelement 10 except that a recess 78 is pro vided below the deck of thesubmarine to receive a weight such as the weight 34. Access to therecess 78 is provided by a key hole slot 80 on the deck of thesubmarine. The larger portion of the key hole slot 80, which ispositioned toward the stern of the submarine, is of suitable size topermit the weight '34 to 'pass therethrough, but the narrower portion ofthe key hole slot is narrow enough so that the weight 34'canr1ot passthrough it. The recess 78 is so formed and positioned that when theweight 34 is in the forward portion thereof as shown beneath the narrowportion of the key hole slot 80, the weight 34 is properly positionedwith respect to the remainder of the submarine 76 in the same manner asthe weights 26 and 34 are positioned, respectively, by the cup 24 andthe recess 46 with respect to the element 10 and the submarine 72.

In theuse of the submarine 76 illustrated in FIGURE 10,- the weight 34is passed through the larger portion of the key hole slot 80 into therecess 78 and the cord 36 is then given a pull in a forward directionwith respect to the submarine 76 to seat the weight 34 under the narrowportion of the slot 80. Thereafter, so long as the submarine 76 ismanipulated in the water in the normal way in which the cord 36 extendsforwardly from the slot 80, the weight 34 will be retained in the recess78. However, if it is desired to disengage the weight 34 from thesubmarine76 for a purpose such as is described above in connection withthe device 66, by manipulating the cord 36 rearwardly in connection withthe submarine 76 the weight 34 is broughtinto alignmentwith the largerportion of the slot 80 and may then readily be lifted through it.

- FIGURE 11'shows still another modification similar to that shown inFIGURE 10. In this embodiment of the invention, an element 82 simulatinga submarine is provided, only the forward portion thereof being shown inthe drawing. The submarine 32 also corresponds in all respects with theelement 10 as described above except in respect to the means providedthereon for cooperating with the weight 34 and cord 36. As revealed 6 bybreaking away a portion of the submarine 82 in FIG- URE 11, a recess 84is provided below the deck of the submarine. This recess 84 is similarin horizontal cross section and position to the recess 78, but asappears in the drawings is shallower than the recess 78 so that theweight 34 when seated therein extends above the deck of the submarine82.

Forwardly of the recess 84 an arm 86 is secured to the deck of thesubmarine 82 as at 88. This arm 86 as may be seen extends upwardly andrearwardly and terminatcs in a yoke 90. The yoke 90 as may be seen iscentrally located laterally of the submarine and is positioned over theforward portion of the recess 84. The weight 34 is readily placed in therecess 84 by inserting it in the rear portion of the recess. When thecord 36 is then pulled forwardly in normal operation of the submarine82, the weight 34 becomes engaged in the yoke 96 so that it is held inposition in the recess 84 in proper relation to the centers of gravityand buoyancy of the submarine 82 as described above in connection withelement 10. As will be apparent, to remove the weight 34 from the recess84 the cord 36 is moved rearwardly carrying the weight 34 to the rear ofthe recess from which it may readily be lifted without engaging theyoke9t).

Two additional ways in which the weight 34 may be retained in operatingposition are shown in FIGURES 12 and 13. In FIGURE 12, which shows theforward end of a submarine 92, a ring 94 is provided which is suitablysecured to the forward wall of the superstructure 96 of the submarine ashort distance above the deck. The submarine 92 is similar to theelement 10 in its main features of construction, and in particular, inreference to the locations of its center of gravity and its center ofbuoyancy. The ring 94 is positioned on the submarine 92 in such a way asto locate the weight 34 centrally between the sides of the submarine andin the proper relation to the center of buoyancy and the center ofgravity as above described. The simulation 98 of a submarine shown inFIGURE 13 is identical with the submarine 92 with the exception that thering 94 is omitted and in its place there is substituted a band 100secured to the forward wall of the superstructure 102 to provide meansfor receiving and retaining the weight 34 in its proper operatingrelation to the submarine 98.

It is indicated above that elements such as the element 16, submarine42, and various other modifications of the element It) may beconstructed of any desired material, wood being given as an example. Byway of further illustration, it is pointed out that these elements mayalso be formed of plastic and even of materials that havea specificgravity greater than water if an air chamber is provided therein to givethe desired buoyancy. A cord such as cords 28 and 36 are particularlyconvenient means upon which to support weights such as the weights 26and 34 but the invention is not intended to be limited to the use ofcords for this purpose, it being within the scope of the invention toemploy other types of supporting means as desired.

Referring particularly to FIGURE 8 of the drawings, it is pointed outthat the plate 70 may be formed of any material which is attracted to'amagnet such as the magnet 72. Furthermore, the positions may be reversedand a magnet maybe secured on or embedded in the deckof the submarine 68in place of the plate 70, there being available on the market smallrelatively light magnets which would still permit the submarine 68 tohave the desired buoyancy even when carrying such magnet. Then, in placeof the magnet 72, a piece of iron or othermate rial attracted to amagnet and having the desired weight could be employed by securing it tothe string or cord 74. A wide variety of means of locating weights suchas 26 and 34 in respect to elements such as the element 10 has beenshown and described, but it is to be understood that the invention isnot limited to the various means shown but includes within its scopeother means of locating the weight on an element 10 in accordance withthe principles described so that it may be manipulated up and down andaround in a body of water. The depth charge devices as shown in FIGURESand 7 are likewise merely illustrative and may be varied widely withinthe scope of the invention.

Many of the advantages of the invention will be ap parent from theforegoing description. A novel submersible toy has been provided whichmay be manipulated under water manually both upwardly and downwardly andaround as desired. At the same time, the control means is readilyseparable from the submersible toy to add to the variety of maneuverswhich may be performed with the submersible toy.

It is apparent that many widely different embodiments of this inventionmay be made without departing from the spirit and scope thereof andtherefore it is not intended to be limited except as indicated in theappended claims.

I claim:

1. A submersible toy which comprises an elongated body having a specificgravity less than that of water and shaped to facilitate its movementthrough water in a path extending in a predetermined direction generallyaxially of said body, the center of buoyancy of said body in water beinglocated forwardly of the center of gravity of said body in saidpredetermined direction, means including a weight and means forsupporting the same manually, and means on said body having an openupper end for receiving said weight and located on a portion of saidbody designed to remain uppermost, a portion of said open upper endbeing located forwardly of the vertical plane dividing the forwardone-third of said body from the remainder thereof and forwardly of thesaid center of buoyancy of said body in a relation causing said body tomove forwardly with said weight and supporting means, and the lowermostportion of said weight receiving means against which the weight rests inits lowermost position therein being permanently fixed in its positionrelative to the remainder of the body so that a movement of the weightupwardly of the body is required to disengage the weight therefrom andsaid weight having a value sufficient to submerge said body completelyand to tilt the axis of said body downwardly in water when the weight isso received on said body.

2. A submersible toy which comprises an elongated body having a specificgravity less than that of water and shaped to facilitate its movementthrough water in a path extending in a predetermined direction generallyaxially of said body, the center of buoyancy of said body in water beinglocated forwardly of the center of gravity of said body in saidpredetermined direction, means including a weight and means forsupporting the same manually, and means on said body for receiivng saidweight and located on a portion of said body designed to remainuppermost, a portion of said weight receiving means being locatedforwardly of the vertical plane dividing the forward onethird of saidbody from the remainder thereof and said manual supporting meansthroughout its entire length extending parallel to the vertical axis ofsaid body forwardly of said plane when said means is taut, said body issubmersed in water and maintained in a horizontal position solely by thebuoyancy of the water and the effect of the weight on the body, saidweight is in said weight receiving means and the upper end of saidmanual supporting means is positioned directly above the lower endthereof and the said weight at the same time being located forwardly ofthe center of buoyancy of the body in a relation causing said body tomove forwardly with said weight and supporting means, and the portion ofthe said weight receiving means against which the weight rests in itsposition therein being permanently fixed in its position relative to theremainder of the body so that a movement of the weight upwardly of thebody is required to disengage the weight therefrom and said weighthaving a value sufficient 8. to submerge said body'completely and totilt the axis of said body downwardly in water when the weight is soreceived on said body.

3. A- toy as described in claim 2 in which the means for receiving theweight comprises a surface on said body on which the weight rests andmeans limiting lateral movement of the weight relative to said body whenthe weight is resting on saidsurface.

4. A toy as described in claim 3 in which the said means for receivingthe weight comprises an upwardly facing cup-shaped recess on said body.

5. A toy as described in claim 3 in which the said means for receivingthe weight comprises means for preventing the weightfrom being separatedfrom the said weight receiving means by a force exerted through saidsupporting means and having a component directed forwardly of said body.

6. A toy as described in claim 3 which comprises a magnet and a piece ofmetal attracted by the magnet, one of said last named elements servingas the weight and the other as the weight receiving means.

7. A toy as described in claim 3 in which the said elongated bodysimulates a submarine.

8. A submersible toy which comprises an elongated body, having aspecific gravity less than that of water and shaped to facilitate itsmovement through water in a path extending in a predetermined directiongenerally axially of said body, a part of said body located in the rearportion thereof at a place designed to remain lowermost having aspecific gravity greater than that of water so that the forward end ofthe body, when the body is floating free in water, is tilted upwardly,means including a weight and means for supporting the same manually, andmeans on said body for receiving said weight and located on a portion ofsaid body designed to remain uppermost, a portion of said weightreceiving means being located forwardly of the vertical plane dividingthe forward onethird of said body from the remainder thereof and saidmanual supporting means throughout its entire length extending parallelto the vertical axis of said body when said means is taut, said body issubmersed in water and maintained in a horizontal position solely by thebuoyancy of the water and the effect of the weight on the body, saidweight is in said weight receiving means and the upper end of saidmanualsupporting means is positioned directly above the lower endthereof and the said weight at the same time being located forwardly ofthe center of buoyancy of the body in a relation causing said body tomove forwardly with said Weight and supporting means, and the portion ofthe said weight receiwng means against which the weight rests in itsposition therein being permanently fixed in its position relative to theremainder of the body so that a movement of the weight upwardly of thebody is required to disengage the weight therefrom and said weighthaving a value sufiicient to submerge said body completely and to tiltthe axis of said body downwardly in water when the weight is so receivedon said body.

9. A toy as described in claim 8 in which the means for receiving theweight comprises a surface on said body on which the weight rests andmeans limiting lateral movement of the weight relative to said body whenthe weight is resting on said surface.

10. A toy as described in claim 9 in which the said means for receivingthe weight comprises means for preventing the weight from beingseparated from the said weight receiving means by a force exertedthrough said supporting means and having a component directed forwardlyof said body.

11. A toy as described in claim 9 which comprises a magnet and a pieceof metal attracted by the magnet, one of said last named elementsserving as the weight and the other as the weight receiving means.

12. A submersible toy which comprises an elongated body having aspecific gravity less than that of water and shaped to facilitate itsmovement through water in a path extending in a predetermined directiongenerally axially of said body, the center of buoyancy of said body inwater being located forwardly of the center of gravity of said body insaid predetermined direction, means including a weight and means forsupporting the same manually, and means on said body having an openupper end for receiving said weight and located on a portion of saidbody designed to remain uppermost, a portion of said open upper endbeing located forwardly of the vertical plane dividing the forwardone-fourth portion of said body from the remainder thereof and saidmanual supporting means throughout its entire length extending parallelto the vertical axis of said body forwardly of said plane when saidmeans is taut, said body is submersed in water and maintained in ahorizontal position solely by the buoyancy of the water and the elfectof the weight on the body, said weight is in said weight supportingmeans and the upper end of said manual supporting means is positioneddirectly above the lower end thereof and the said weight at the sametime being located forwardly of said center of buoyancy in a relationcausing said body to move forwardly with said weight and supportingmeans, and the lowermost portion of the said weight receiving meansagainst which the weight rests in its lowermost position therein beingpermanently fixed in its position relative to the remainder of the bodyso that a movement of the weight upwardly of the body is required todisengage the weight therefrom and said weight having a value sufficientto submerge said body completely and to tilt the axis of said bodydownwardly in water when the weight is so received on said body.

13. A toy'as described in claim 12 in which the means for receiving theweight comprises a surface on said body on which the weight rests andmeans limiting lateral movement of the weight relative to said body whenthe weight is resting on said surface.

14. A toy as described in claim 12 in which a portion of said open upperend is located forwardly of the vertical plane dividing the forwardone-fifth portion of said body from the remainder thereof and in whichthe said manual supporting means when it is in the said positionextending parallel to the vertical axis of said body is also locatedjust forwardly of said last named plane.

15. A toy as described in claim 14 in which the means for receiving theweight comprises a surface on said body on which the weight rests andmeans limiting lateral movement of the weight relative to said body whenthe weight is resting on said surface.

16. A submersible toy which comprises an elongated body having aspecific gravity less than that of water and shaped to facilitate itsmovement through water in a path extending in a predetermined directiongenerally axially of said body, the center of buoyancy of said body inwater being located forwardly of the center of gravity of said body insaid predetermined direction, means including a weight and means forsupporting the same manually, and means on said body for receiving saidweight comprising an upwardly facing cup-shaped recess located on aportion of said body designed to remain uppermost, a portion of the openupper end of said cupshaped recess being located forwardly of thevertical plane dividing the forward one-third portion from the remainderthereof, said weight when received in said weight receiving means beinglocated forwardly of said center of buoyancy in a relation causing saidbody to move forwardly with said weight and supporting means, saidweight having a value suflicient to submerge said body completely and totilt the axis of said body downwardly in water when the weight is soreceived on said body, a passageway extending forwardly and upwardlythrough said body from the bottom of said cup-shaped recess to the uppersurface of said body, a member having a specific gravity less than thatof water comprising an elongated body portion simulating a projectileand a tail portion, said member being loosely receivable in saidpassageway with and upwardly out of said passageway.

17. A submersible toy which comprises an elognated body having aspecific gravity less than that of water and shaped to facilitate itsmovement through water in a path extending in a predetermined directiongenerally axially of said body, the center of buoyancy of said body inwater being located forwardly of the center of gravity of said body insaid predetermined direction, means comprising a weight and means forsupporting the same including a float having sufficient buoyancy tosupport said weight above the surface of a body of water in which saidfloat is partially submerged, and means providing an elongated flexibleconnection between said weight and said float, means on said body havingan open upper end for receiving said weight and located on a portion ofsaid body designed to remain uppermost, a portion of said open upper endbeing located forwardly of the vertical plane dividing the forwardone-third portion of said body from the remainder thereof and saidmanual supporting means throughout its entire length extending parallelto the vertical axis of said body forwardly of said plane when saidmeans is taut, said body is submersed in water and maintained in ahorizontal position solely by the buoyancy of the water and the effectof the weight on the body, said weight is in said weight supportingmeans and the upper end of said manual supporting means is positioneddirectly above the lower end thereof and the said weight at the sametime being located forwardly of said center of buoyancy in a relationcausing said body to move forwardly with said weight and supportingmeans, and the lowermost portion of said weight receiving means againstwhich the weight rests in its lowermost position therein beingpermanently fixed in its position relative to the remainder of the bodyso that a movement of the weight upwardly of the body is required todisengage the weight therefrom and said weight having a value sufficientto submerge said body completely and to tilt the axis of said bodydownwardly in water when the weight is so received on said body.

18. A submersible toy which comprises an elongated body having aspecific gravity less than that of water and shaped to facilitate itsmovement through water in a path extending in a predetermined directiongenerally axially of said body, the center of buoyancy of said body inwater being located forwardly of the center of gravity of said body insaid predetermined direction, means including a weight and means forsupporting the same manually and means on said body having an open upperend for receiving said weight and located on a portion of said bodydesigned to remain uppermost, all of said manual supporting means beingforward of the plane dividing the forward one-third of said body fromthe remainder thereof when said means is taut, when said weight is insaid weight receiving means and when the upper end of said manualsupporting means is forward of that plane and the said weight at thesame time being located forwardly of the said center of buoyancy of saidbody in a relation causing said body to move forwardly with said weightand supporting means and the lowermost portion of said weight receivingmeans against which the weight rests in its lowermost position thereinbeing permanently fixed in its position relative to the remainder of thebody so that a movement of the weight upwardly of the body is requiredto disengage the weight therefrom and said weight having a valuesufficient to submerge said body completely and to tilt the axis of saidbody downwardly in water when the weight is so received on said body;

19. A submersible toy which comprises an elongated body having aspecific gravity less than that of water and shaped ot facilitate itsmovement through water in a path extending in a predetermined directiongenerally axially of said body, the center of buoyancy of said body inwater being located forwardly of the center of gravity of said body insaid predetermined direction, means including a weight and means forsupporting the same manually and means on said body having an open upperend'for receiving said weight and located on a portion of said bodydesigned to remain uppermost, said open upper end being located entirelywithin the forward one-third portion of said body, said weight when insaid weight receiving means being located forwardly of said center ofbuoyancy of said body in a relation causing said body to move forwardlywith said weight and supporting means and the lowermost portion of saidweight receiving means against which the weight rests in its lowermostposition therein being permanently fixed in its position relative to theremainder of the body so that a movement of the weight upwardly of thebody is required to disengage the weight therefrom and said weighthaving a value sufiicient to submerge said body completely and to'tiltthe axis of said body downwardly in water when the weight is so receivedon said body.

20. A submersible toy which comprises an elongated body having aspecific gravity less than that of water and shaped to facilitate itsmovement through water in a path extending in a predetermined directiongenerally axially of said body, the center of buoyancy of said body inwater being located forwardly of the center of gravity of said body insaid predetermined direction, means in cluding a weight and means forsupporting the same manually, and means on said body having anopen'upper end for receiving said 'weight and located on a portion ofsaid body designed to remain uppermost, said manual supporting meansthroughout its entire length extending parallel to the vertical axis ofsaid body when said means is taut, said body is submersed in water andmaintained in a horizontal position solely by the buoyancy of the waterand the effect of the weight on the body, said weight is in said weightsupporting means and the upper end of said manual supporting means ispositioned directly above the lower end thereof and the said weight atthe same time being located forwardly of the center of buoyancy of thebody in a relation causing said body to move forwardly with said weightand supporting means, and the lowermost portion of. the said weightreceiving means against which the weight rests in its lowermost position therein being permanently fixed in its position relative to theremainder of the body so that a movement of the weight upwardly, of thebody is required to disengage the weight therefrom and said weighthaving a value sufiicient to submerge said body completely and to tiltthe axis of said body downwardly in water when the weight is so receivedon said body.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,736,270 Mackintosh Nov. 19, 1929 2,168,767 Ellsworth Aug. 8, 19392,708,810 Canto et 211. May 24, 1955 2,909,868 Lewis u Oct. 27, 1959OTHER REFERENCES Hausmann: Physics, published 1941', pages 193 and 194relied on. i

1. A SUBMERSIBLE TOY WHICH COMPRISES AN ELONGATED BODY HAVING A SPECIFICGRAVITY LESS THAN THAT OF WATER AND SHAPED TO FACILITATE ITS MOVEMENTTHROUGH WATER IN A PATH EXTENDING IN A PREDETERMINED DIRECTION GENERALLYAXIALLY OF SAID BODY, THE CENTER OF BUOYANCY OF SAID BODY IN WATER BEINGLOCATED FORWARDLY OF THE CENTER OF GRAVITY OF SAID BODY IN SAIDPREDETERMINED DIRECTION, MEANS INCLUDING A WEIGHT AND MEANS FORSUPPORTING THE SAME MANUALLY, AND MEANS ON SAID BODY HAVING AN OPENUPPER END FOR RECEIVING SAID WEIGHT AND LOCATED ON A PORTION OF SAIDBODY DESIGNED TO REMAIN UPPERMOST, A PORTION OF SAID OPEN UPPER ENDBEING LOCATED FORWARDLY OF THE VERTICAL PLANE DIVIDING THE FORWARDONE-THIRD OF SAID BODY FROM THE REMAINDER THEREOF AND FORWARDLY OF THESAID CENTER OF BUOYANCY OF SAID BODY IN A RELATION CAUSING SAID BODY TOMOVE FORWARDLY WITH SAID WEIGHT AND SUPPORTING MEANS, AND THE LOWERMOSTPORTION OF SAID WEIGHT RECEIVING MEANS AGAINST WHICH THE WEIGHT RESTS INITS LOWERMOST POSITION THEREIN BEING PERMANENTLY FIXED IN ITS POSITIONRELATIVE TO THE REMAINDER OF THE BODY SO THAT A MOVEMENT OF THE WEIGHTUPWARDLY OF THE BODY IS REQUIRED TO DISENGAGE THE WEIGHT THEREFROM ANDSAID WEIGHT HAVING A VALUE SUFFICIENT TO SUBMERGE SAID BODY COMPLETELYAND TO TILT THE AXIS OF SAID BODY DOWNWARDLY IN WATER WHEN THE WEIGHT ISSO RECEIVED ON SAID BODY.